Theme: Epidemiology & Public Health Research Year: 2024
Background: Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) has a strong evidence base for managing opioid use disorder (OUD), but access to treatment can be challenging. Only one-fifth of adults with OUD in the Västra Götaland Region in Sweden is engaged in treatment. Access to naloxone is inadequate, and each year hundreds of people die from opioid-related overdoses in Sweden. Drug use involves risk of contracting hepatitis C virus. Today, there is effective treatment and a global goal of elimination by 2030, but accessibility is lacking for people with addiction. Therefore, the national action plan to eliminate hepatitis C emphasizes the importance of an outreach approach. Our objective was to assess the utility of a mobile outreach unit for individuals who use drugs.
Methods: Using a mobile unit, we provide drop-in visits at strategically chosen locations such as shelters and services for the homeless. We offer naloxone distribution, testing for hepatitis and HIV, and assessment and linkage to OAT. The outreach work is conducted through collaboration between the Addiction Clinic, social services, the Infectious Diseases Clinic, and non-profit organizations.
Results: During the first three months of the project, from April 2024 to June 2024, the Mobile Outreach Team achieved the following outcomes:
– We distributed 40 doses of naloxone.
– We conducted testing on 27 individuals, identifying 7 active cases of hepatitis C.
– We carried out 10 addiction assessments, of which 8 resulted in the initiation of OAT.
Additionally, we provided harm reduction information to hundreds of curious passersby, further expanding our outreach and educational efforts.
Conclusion: The Mobile Outreach Team shows promise in increasing access to health services for individuals who use drugs and spreading awareness about harm reduction services. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of a mobile, collaborative approach in improving health outcomes and reducing opioid-related fatalities.